Republican compares American minorities' plight to that of chickens, snail darters

A Republican Congressman has sparked outrage for comparing the plight of minorities in America to snail darters and prairie chickens.

Louie Gohmert made the comment Wednesday during testimony at the House Judiciary Committee.

He was commenting about a proposed Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act amendment that intends to protect individuals from discrimination based on sex, race or national origin, the New York Daily News reports.

Gohmert said there is nobody who is more appreciative than he is for the rights of race, religion, national religion of the Delta Smelt, the snail darter, various lizards, the lesser prairie chicken, the greater sage grouts and so many other insects who would want someone standing for their religion, their race, their national origin.

Republican Jerry Nadler slammed Gohmert for poking fun at the amendment, saying that it is not a snail darter's amendment but was a civil rights amendment.